In 2020, BigBang had been one of the acts slated to perform at Coachella. Had the then-quartet gone on to perform in the Colorado Desert, perhaps a different legacy would have been left in its wake. Alas, the pandemic happened, and the festival—like most of its counterparts—was cancelled.
But the desert made good on its promise this past weekend. Six years on, BigBang took to the Outdoor Stage, serving as one of the final acts of the night, and the festival’s first weekend. Could it have been more timely? For a group celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, we think not. Sans that surprise MAMA performance, this was the first official return since their Last Dance tour in 2017. And the sweltering stage that G-Dragon, Taeyang and Daesung put on was, perhaps, everything its longtime fans could have asked for and more.
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With 18 songs on the setlist, the iconic ‘Bang Bang Bang’ to ‘Fantastic Baby’ opening was to be expected, but just as they say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Nothing pulls a crowd the way these double bangers do, and their blistering ascent was proof that these decade-old hits—and this unfailingly stylish crew—are a peerless combination in firing up a crowd. Be it age old fans of the band, second generation K-pop enthusiasts, or the thousands of newcomers standing before them. As for how we knew they were ready to party for the night? ‘Sober’ was next, and ‘Sober’ was telling. For the VIPs watching—out under the Californian sky or from their homes halfway across the world—the beloved party track got everyone dancing on their feet, and the group has always known it. It was a reminder of the good times, when we were young and we were free.
For most fans however, it was the second segment that truly hit home. In GD’s own words, it was back to the old school classics. Beginning with the deeply emotional ‘A Fool of Tears’ and ‘Loser’, the latter bonafide proof of Taeyang’s unsurpassable vocals. As for what came after? The mic stands emerged, and it was clear: ‘Haru Haru’ was next. Ask any OG K-pop fan, and there’s little to no chance that they wouldn’t recognise the piano intro for this song. Whilst ‘Bang Bang Bang’ and ‘Fantastic Baby’ have always been the hard-hitters, the heartwrenching ‘Haru Haru’ will always be one of the group’s most iconic songs. In terms of nostalgic tearjerkers however, the real stab to the heart might have been the moodshifting ‘Lies’, its live arrangement beautifully brought to life by The Band Six. The incredible band deserves all their flowers, because the next song, ‘Tonight’, was brilliantly enlivened by them alone and got the crowd singing still, whilst the trio went for a quick outfit change.
A BigBang setlist wouldn’t be complete without the individual performances, and they came in swooping. Taeyang fired it up with ‘Ringa Linga’—shirtless as always (some things don’t change)—before GD took to the floor and interacted with fans. Leave it to the group leader to present us with a completely fresh, trap-infused arrangement of his newest solo ‘Power’. The outfit was telling though; not only did he return with his signature big fur hat, it was a sign of what was to come, his impossibly rousing duet song with Taeyang: ‘Good Boy’. Just like that, it was 2016 all over again.
Onto Daesung’s solo run, best believe no one was better positioned to bring Korean trot to the global stage. Impassioned, and brimming with fervour, his radiance (and hips) whilst singing ‘Hando-Chogua’ shone through, before he unabashedly delivered the fan-favourite ‘Look at Me, Gwisun’. And he didn’t miss a beat. Post yet another outfit change, it was followed by ‘Home Sweet Home’, the seminal ‘Bad Boy’ and the feel good ‘We Like 2 Party’. Simple proof that even 10 years on, the group’s chemistry, melodic vocals and stage presence still remain at the heart of their performances, no matter where they are in the world. Good music is ageless—and will always find its audience.
It’s something they were clearly confident about as they said their final goodbyes, cementing the fact that BigBang—the 20-year-old group who nurtured an entire generation of K-pop artists, instituted what it meant for idols to be artists, and moulded the genre as we know it—has finally returned. To understand how much this stage means, is to know how close they came to never ever coming back, after close to a decade. Yet any VIP will know that the absence of one member was palpable. Throughout the night, parts of their songs were skipped over, or arranged such that it would focus on the trio, but for the final song of the night, the shift was evident. Under a moonlit sky, the group performed ‘Still Life’, the latest track released by BigBang back in 2022. T.O.P’s verse—his voice unmistakeable—was notably left to play, as we listened.
Like GD alludes to in his ‘Home Sweet Home’ lyrics, the beloved oldest member would always be welcome home. But the 2026 iteration of ‘Still Life’ was one of tacit understanding, that the group is healing from old wounds, and new things lie in waiting. Coachella wasn’t just fireworks and fanfare; it was a performance filled with heart, carefully prepared and put together by the three returning members, who were clearly glad to be back on stage with one another, and with their fans. The flower road is blooming, so we’ll gladly walk this yellow path together once again.
